$20K of snow removal equipment stolen from Brooklyn Park church

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (KMSP) - With another winter blast on the way, a Brooklyn Park church is out nearly $20,000 worth of snow blowers and tractors after being targeted in a theft. The congregation at Family of God Lutheran Church is now being challenged to show mercy and grace.

“We pray for those who stole our equipment,” Pastor Paul Burow said to the congregation Sunday. “We forgive them.”

Last Sunday, grounds keeper Adam Josephson said he found a shed door broken. Two tractors used for snow removal were stolen along with a lawn mower and some tools.

“It's a big hit because it took us a long time to acquire the equipment in the first place,” Josephson said. “We're looking at about $18,000 to $20,000 of stuff.

Church leaders filed a police report, but without any witnesses or surveillance footage. Burow said he hopes the crook or crooks will just return the equipment with no questions asked -- “Hopefully the people who did this will have a change of heart and be able to make things right,” the pastor said.

For now, church members are planning to volunteer and help with snow removal while they learn to forgive and redeem this situation. Most will be covered under insurance, but any reimbursement will likely happen after winter so they're asking the public to keep an eye out.

“You just have to find it in your heart to say well, they needed it more than we did,” church member Jane Nelson said.